The painting (Ch. lviii. 0011), which this Plate reproduces on the
scale of two-fifths, is a good specimen of a fairly numerous group of
pictures which represent Amitābha’s ‘Western Paradise’, or _Sukhāvatī_,
as it is named in Sanskrit. It has lost the side scenes and its extreme
top and bottom, but is otherwise well preserved. Though not as large as
some representations of this, the most popular of Buddhist Heavens, nor
quite as sumptuous in its pageantry, our painting yet well illustrates
all the typical features of the series. The uniformity with which
the general scheme is observed in these Sukhāvatī pictures of our
Collection, more than a dozen in all, points to prolonged evolution
before even the oldest of them was painted.
On the principal terrace we see the presiding Buddha, Amitābha, seated
with his hand raised in the _vitarha-mudrā_. The Bodhisattvas seated
on both sides, Avalokiteśvara to the right and Mahāsthāma to the left,
make up the triad typical of Amitābha’s Paradise as determined by
inscribed representations and familiar from an early period also to
Buddhism in Japan. Between them and in front, by the side of the altar,
appears seated a host of lesser Bodhisattvas. The altar carries vessels
with offerings and is draped with a valance decorated with triangular
tabs and streamers; it is of interest as exactly corresponding to the
large silk valances I recovered from the walled-up chapel.[10] In the
background above, partly screened by the elaborate canopies of the
triad, are seen the celestial mansions in the shape of pavilions and
towers of purely Chinese style.
A portion of the terrace projecting in front of the altar is occupied
by a dancer and six musicians, to whose strains she performs. Here,
too, the dancer’s rhythmic movement is emphasized by the sinuous lines
of the stole which she waves in her hands and by bands fluttering
upwards from her head-dress. Mouth-organ, clappers, psaltery, flute,
and two differently shaped lutes are the musical instruments played
on. At the foot of the gangway descending to the water of the lotus
lake is shown a figure suggesting a seated Bodhisattva as seen from the
back. The lotus seat and the curling drapery of a stole are clearly
recognizable. The bent arms seem to support some offering, perhaps like
an Indian ‘Dālī’, as traces of red flowers and of leaves can be made
out in the original.
Lotus flowers and rocks appear rising above the water. In the centre
of the foreground is a black-tiled platform, on which are assembled a
Garuḍa, peacock, crane, and some smaller bird resembling a duck but
partly effaced. On either side of this platform there rises from the
water a terrace bearing a subsidiary representation of Amitābha’s
triad. The pose of the Buddha is the same as in the main group above,
but both the Bodhisattvas by his side are here shown with hands joined
in adoration. This repetition of the divine triad in the bottom
corners is very frequent in the pictures of Amitābha’s Paradise. The
representation of a newly born soul seated on a lotus and floating
up the gangway which leads to each of these subsidiary groups is a
pleasing addition to this conventional arrangement.
The workmanship of the painting is throughout careful and well
finished. From a background of dull green crimson, orange-yellow and
white stand out as the prevailing colours. The last is largely used on
the decorated haloes and ‘Padmāsanas’, or lotus seats, as well as for
the flesh of all attendant figures. The absence of black and blue is
marked in the general colour scheme.